Delivery mechanism.



R. A. FREEMAN.

DELIVERY MECHANISM.

' APPLICATION FILED MAY 1, 1913. 1,164,802. Patented De0.21,1915.

4 SHEETSSHEET 1- WITNESSES IVTOR 2 7 I v By I v AWO RNEV COLUMBIA PLANOORAPH (20., WASHINGTON, n. c.

R. A.-FREEMAN.

DELlVERY MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 1, 191a.

Patente Dec. 21, 1915.

4 SHEETS-SHEETYZ.

1595mm? a g a by 9 g 'ATTORNEY x a i WITNESSES m.

copuMmA PLANOURAPH 410., WASHINGTON, D, c.

R. A. FREEMAN.

DELIVERY MECHANISM.

1,164,802. APPLICATION FILED MAY 1, 1913. Dec. 21,

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

RUFUS A. FREEMAN, OF FLUSHING, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO THE AUTOPRESS COMPANY, OFNEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

DELIVERY MECHANISM.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patentgd Deg, 21, 1915 Application filed May 1, 1913. Serial No. 784,736.

To all whom it may concern: I

Be it known that I, RUFUS A. FREEMAN,

' acitizen of the United States, and-a resident of Flushing, in the county of Queens and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Delivery Mechanism, of which the following is a specification. My invention relates to sheet delivery mechanism for printing presses or the like, and more particularly, for use in connection with that form of pressin which theimpression cvlinder is rotated as well as reciprocated bodily back and forth over the form,-such a form of press being illustrated in the patents to Barnett No. 829,248 and N 0. 826,825.

One of the desirable features of a sheet delivery mechanism is the certainty with which each sheet will be engaged by the delivery mechanism and removed from the sheet carrier, which is usually an impression cylinder. This is especially desirable in machines like that referred to, in which the cylinder reciprocates as well as rotates, since,- if the sheet is not properly taken from the cylinder, the reverse motion of it will cause the sheet to be dropped into the form and inking rollers. The form of pressreferred to presents great difli'culties, however, in securing this certainty of delivery, since the position of the cylinder at the end of its reciprocation, at which time the sheet is ready for delivery, is subject to variations due to varying speeds or to wear or looseness in the parts.

.One of the-objects of my invention is to provide a mechanism whichwill be simple in construction and yet capable-of operation in connection with high speed machines.

With these and other objects in view, my invention consists of certain novel features of construction, combination and arrange ment of parts as will be more fully described and pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents a longitudinal plan view of my novel delivery mechanism with a portion of the'printing mechanism to which it is connected, certain of the chain guards being cut away to more clearly disclose the mechanism. Fig. 2 represents a sectional side elevation of my novel delivery mechanism with an.

impression cylinder and type bed, also in section; Fig. 3 represents a sectional side elevation taken on the line -83, of Fig. 1, much enlarged. Figs. 4, ,5 and 6 represent in enlarged views my novel gripper mechanism in successivepositions as it is taking and delivering a sheet. Fig. 7 is an end elevation of Fig. 5 looking in the direction of the arrow 7. Fig. 8 is a plan view of a portion of Fig. 7 taken'on the line 8-8.

The corresponding parts are referred to both in the drawings and the specification by similar reference characters.

Referring nowv to Figs. 1 and 2, 10 is the impression cylinder of that form of printing press whichI have chosen for purposes of illustration'in connection with my novel delivery mechanism. 11 is the form bed cooperating with the cylinder 10 and carrying the form 12. given alternate reciprocations, as indicated in the patents to Barnett referred to, the cylinder 10 rotating as it reciprocates so that the edge of the sheet held to the impression surface 18 of the cylinder 10 by the grippers 14 has a cycloidal motion. The rotation of the cylinder 10 is produced by the-cooperation of the gear teeth shown on the end of the cylinder with the racks shown as carried by the form bed 11. Mounted on the shafts 15 -16 are two pairs of sprocket wheels 17, 17, over which passes a pair of chains '18, 19. The shaft 15 is driven through suitable gearing so that the chains 18, 19 make a ,given'number of turns for a given number of cycles of operation of the printing machine. Extending across the chains 18,19, andsupported thereby, are a seri'esof shafts, each supporting one or more pairs of grippers-to carry the sheets, the

number of these sets of grippers being proportionedso that at the speed of the chain one set of grippers will be presented each time a :sheet is carried by the impression cylinder to the point indicated in Fig;

This bed and cylinder are aca'm roller '23, the cam lever 22 being shaped at its other end to form a-bearmg 24 to support a shaft 25. On either end of the shaft 25 is acam lever 26 ca'rrylng a cam roller 27 The cam rollers 23 run on fixed cams 28, 29, thuscontrollingthepositionof'the shaft 25, the, rollers 23 being held against the cams 28,129 by coil springs 30 bearing against the levers 22 and attached "at the other end to ,the'sockets 21.

Each pair of the sheet'grippers, as shown particularly" in Fig. 3, comprlses an abutment member31jhaving a socket extending over the'shaft25, and extending: upwardly abutment 31, isv placed a coil spring 35;

This spring,itherefore, tends normally to close the lower portion of the movable mem-- ber 32 on the lower abutment of the member 31. The movable member 32 is provided withanfarm: 36 formed into a socket-or,

bearing through whichpasses a shaft 37,

this shaftjcarrying the vcam rollers27 which 1 move in the plane of the fixed'cams 38,39. As will be seen by reference to Fig. 3, when thecanr rollers 27 run up the cams 38, the shaft 37 will be; moved downward, thus swinging each of'the movable members 32' I around the shaft 25 and compressing "the spring 35 to'open the'grippers. When the' rollers 27 pass down the cams 38, the springs 40 "the motion of the cam rollers 23 will deteris obvious that the shaft 25 will be carried 7 around theshaft 20in the mannerindicated abutment 31.,

35 close the'movablemember 3201 the fixed Since the shaft 25 is carried by the levers 22 pivoted on the shaft 20, it isobviousthat mine the relative position between the shaft 25 and the chains 18, 19., The fixed cams 28, 29 are so shaped that this relative posi-- tion'is not altered as the'grippers are cars riedfrom' one end to the other of Fig 2, except at the point where the sheet is about to be taken by the'grippers. At thisend is formed the projections 40. As the rollers 23 are carried around theseproiections,. it

by therelative positions of these shafts in Figs-y and 5. This serves to give a motion to the grippers other than that which would,

n'ormallybe vgiven by" thev motion "of the 7 chain carriers, and serves to lift the sheet from the cylinder as the front edge of the impression surface thereof'is moving downward. It also enables me to arrange my mechanism so'that, at the time the front edge of the sheeti'stakenby the grippers, the grippers and the impression surface are traveling substantially in the same direction, while after the sheet is taken, I -am enabled tolift the sheet'into the plane in" which-itis'to be carried to bedeli vered. To

insure, however, that the grippers willbe I in the correct relation to thecylincler regardless of 'ithe' exact position to} which the cylinder is carried at the'time thesheet is to. r be takefn,,.I provide at either end of the shaft 25 and forming part 'o'fthecam levers T 22, toe members 41, which are arranged'to' i 'be'engagedrby a portion'ofthe cylinder" 10.

In the arrangement"illustrated, this contact I is with members 42 attached to. the front edge of the impression surface of the'cylink der 1 0. This engagement servesto posltlon I 7 so 7 the shaft 25, and therefore,- the grippers 32,

'31 in constant relation withtthe front edge= engagement, and also regardless ofthe' inotion Which would normally be given to the of the impression :surface of the cylinder, I regardless of the exact position to which the cylinder may be turned at theftime of such grippers bythe projectionsO. c In other. words, the cams 28,29, andthe projections 40 thereon, initially position'the grippers, while. the final positioning or correction of any errors due to changes of position of the cylinder 10, at the timefthe-sheet-is taken, or to thewear or inexactness of the projections 5L0, is done byf'co-ntact between the members 41 and the cylinder itself. It will cated so that the springs 35 are'permitted to close the grippers on the sheet atthe time when the grippers are properly located with relation .to the impression surface, and, therefore, with the sheet. The cams 39 at which I have 'chosenfor purposes of illus+ tration, shortly after the sheet ,is grasped by the grippers, the cylinder is reversed in its rotation andcarried backward, whilejthe sheet is'carried forward to the delivery pile.

By reason ofthe exact positionof my delivery grippers, I am enabled to delay the openingv of my impression cylinder grippers l4until substantially the time that the sheet isunder control of the delivery grippers,

thus insuring certainty in each sheetfbeing taken y the liveryfmechanismJ-QThi Opening Of the g ppers. '14 is done in, the: 5

c. v 0 'The arrangement of the shafts 20, 25 and I usual manner by fixed cam Onithev id of the machine. 1 I a y also be understood that the cams 38 are lothe other endof the press serve to open the grippers to permit the sheet to be dropped, as shown particularly in Fig. 6. Asis shown in Fig. '5, in the particular form of press 37 is such thatver'y'small;diametersmay be used, smcee'a'ch set of gr ppers serves" as "a locking and tyingmember for each Iofthese" I I shafts, and since these grippers are distrib uted longitudinally across thepress'atrelatively short intervals, ,the' threezshaftsare placed so as to form substantially an integral structure. This particularly'i'mportant since, withthe'formof gripper carriers which I have illustrated, it is desirable to have the weight carried thereby as small as possible. It is, however, necessary also that these grippers be sufiiciently rigidly supported to insure their grasping the sheet under all circumstances.

In order to permit the sheet delivery grippers to grasp the sheet, I provide as anipping surface between the impression cylin der grippers l4 and the cylinder itself, a series of pads 43, one of these pads being placed under each of the grippers 14. This leaves a space between the grippers 14 into which the sheet delivery grippers may be carried to grasp the edge of the sheet. The pads 43 are dove-tailed as shown in Fig. 5, and slide in a groove in the tympan clamp bar 44 so that they may be adjusted to suit the position in which the grippers 14 may be placed.

' The chains 18, 19, are supported on rollers 45 running on tracks in members 46, each of these rollers being supported on a stud 47 rigidly attached to the chains 18, 19. The tracks in the members 46 are carried around the ends of the members so that the chains are held to the sprockets on the shafts 15, 16.

In order to secure greater certainty of action and rigidity of parts with a comparatively light structure, I preferably duplicate on each side of the machine, such parts as the various cams for opening and positioning the grippers, so as to do away with as much torsion on the various shafts as possible. These parts may be omitted on one side, however, if desired. I

It will be understood that while I have shown my delivery mechanism in connection with a cylinder having both a reciprocating and rotating motion, many features of it may be used in connection with the ordinary form of printing machine in which the cylinder rotates in one direction only on stationary bearings. or indeed, with any form of sheet carrier which will bring the head of the sheet to a position to be taken by the delivery grippers.

It will be understood that while I have shown continuously moving chains for supporting and moving my grippers toward and away from the sheet carrier, any other suitable form of support, such as the ordinary reciprocating carriage, may be used for this purpose.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is as follows:

1. In a. printing press, a sheet carrying cylinder, means to oscillate said cylinder on its axis, a sheet gripper, means to cause said gripper to grasp a sheet on said cylinder and while said cylinder is rotating in one direction. and to remove the sheet as said cylinder is rotating in the opposite direction,

and means connected to said gripper and arranged to contact with said cylinder to position said gripper in relation to said cylinder at the time the sheet is grasped.

2. In a printing press, a sheet carrying cylinder, means to reciprocate and rotate said cylinder, a sheet gripper, means to cause said gripper to grasp a sheet on said cylinder and while said cylinder isvmoving in one direction, and to remove the sheet as said cylinder is moving in the opposite direction, and means connected to said gripper and arranged to contact with said cylinder to position said gripper in relation to said cylinder at the time the sheet is grasped.

3. In a printing press, a sheet carrying cylinder, means to reciprocate and rotate said cylinder, a sheet gripper, means to cause said gripper to grasp a sheet on said cylinder and while said cylinder is moving in one direction, and to lift the edge of the sheet away from said cylinder before said cylinder reaches the end of its reciprocation.

4. In a printing press, a sheet carrying cylinder having sheet grippers thereon,

means to oscillate said cylinder on its axis, a sheet delivery gripper, means to support and move said sheet delivery gripper in a path which intersects the path of said sheet carrying cylinder grippers, a cam to control the initial position of said sheet delivery gripper at the intersection of said paths and a device connected to said gripper and constructed and arranged to contact with said cylinder to locate said gripper definitely in relation to said cylinder at the intersection of said paths in position to take a sheet from said cylinder, and means to close said sheet delivery gripper when so definitely located.

5. In a printing press, an impression cylinder having an impression surface and sheet grippers thereon, means to rotate said cylinder, means to support and move a sheet delivery gripper in a path intersecting the path of a sheet on said impression surface, means, independent of the gripper supporting and moving means, to locate said gripper initially at the intersection of said paths and a device connected to said gripper and contacting with said cylinder to locate definitely said sheet delivery gripper in relation to the front of said impression surface, and means to close said gripper when so definitely located.

6. In a printing press, a sheet carrying cylinder having a sheet carrying surface and sheet grippers thereon, means to rotate said cylinder, a shaft having its axis parallel to the axis of said cylinder and means to support and move said shaft toward and away from said cylinder, a sheet gripper carried by said shaft and constructed and arranged to move in a path which intersects the path of a sheet on said sheet carrying surface, a cam arranged to locate initially the position of said gripper at the intersection of said paths, and a device mounted on said shaft and arranged to contact With said cylinder to locate said gripper definitely in relation [OI]. a sheet on said cylinder as said gripper 18 passing the intersection of said paths, and

-means to give said grippers bodily movement independent of the movement of said carrier after said grippers have closed on the sheet. 3

8. In printingpress, a sheet carrying cylinder, means to rotate said cylinder, a sheet gripper, a continuously moving carrier constructed and arranged to move said gripper in a path intersecting the path of a sheet on said sheet carrying cylinder, a cam constructed and arranged to move said gripper bodily to locate it initially as said gripper passes the intersection of said paths and a device connected to said gripper and arranged to contact with said cylinder, to

locate'said gripper definitelyvvith relation to said cylinder at the said point of intersection.

9, In a printing press, a sheet carrying cylinder, means to rotate said cylinder, a

sheet gripper, acontinuously moving carrier constructed and arranged to move said gripper in apath intersecting the path of asheet on said sheet carrying cylinder, a fixed cam constructed and arrangedto control the path of said gripperas itis moved by sald continuously moving carrier and means,

operated by the motion of said cylinder, to

locate said gripper definitely With relationa second shaft parallel with and spacedapart from said first shaft, a carrier for said 1 second shaft constructed and arranged to move said shafts and gripper toward and avvay from said cylinder and means to move said first shaft around said second shaft to give a bodily movementto said gripper inde pendent of the motion of said carrier.

RUFUS A; FREEMAN.

Witnesses: v

GEORGE F. Scorn, LEON A. RING Gopies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, I). C. I v 

